Zelfportret in grote jas: Zollamt Wien: B-1-1, 25 januari Possibly 1942

Curator: Let’s turn our attention now to a somber self-portrait from possibly 1942 by Cor van Teeseling, titled "Zelfportret in grote jas: Zollamt Wien: B-1-1, 25 januari". It’s currently held here at the Rijksmuseum, and it’s a pencil drawing on paper. Editor: Wow. There’s such a feeling of… resignation in his eyes. He seems huddled in that coat, like he’s trying to disappear. The greyscale really amplifies the melancholy, doesn't it? Like looking into a faded memory. Curator: Absolutely. This piece was likely created during a dark chapter of history. Van Teeseling captures more than just his physical likeness; he seems to convey the internal weight of living through those times. We can view such pieces as testaments of their time and markers in understanding how politics of imagery impacts artistic works. Editor: It’s fascinating how something so simple – pencil on paper – can evoke so much emotion. I get a strong sense of the artist trying to capture a specific moment. It feels almost like a raw confession of feeling utterly overwhelmed. I imagine the large jacket is worn to allow its owner the opportunity to shrink from the world in hiding. Curator: Consider also where it was created - the 'Zollamt Wien', that's Vienna Customs Office, hinting maybe at a period of displacement or movement and uncertainty in his life. That environment and circumstance of this self-portrait's production has its marks on the paper as sure as his pencil strokes did. Editor: Art does something remarkable, right? It gives shape to our shared humanity and the unnamable moments in life through symbolism and strokes that go so much deeper than literal portraiture, while simultaneously revealing that some truths simply cannot be pictured. Curator: It also provides future generations insight and records in real time. Hopefully it also informs current power structures to see what imagery truly impacts citizens and how. Thank you for your perspective, those have been very good points that will elevate anyone's engagement with van Teeseling's work. Editor: The pleasure's mine. Art finds meaning when people look at it with fresh, unconstrained minds.